Data leakage may have reached the Big Techs Apple, Meta and Google, says website (Pixabay/Madartzgraphics)
Experts identified a data leakage that may have reached more than 16 billion passwords in applications from the Apple, Goal (owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) and Googleinformed the magazine Forbes. According to the publication, the action was discovered in an investigation that has been taking place since the beginning of this year by Cybernewsan independent body that research hacker actions.
“30 exposed data sets containing tens of millions to more than 3.5 billion records each” were identified, which would exceed 16 billion leaked data, Vilius Petkauskas, CyberNew researcher, told Vilius Petkauskas to Forbes.
CyberNews states that while it is difficult to know the source of leaks or exactly which packages make up the data, it is quite unlikely that the information has been extracted from the companies themselves – in this case, the probability is that the data has been obtained from the users themselves.
Sought, Apple told the Estadão that will not comment on the case. The report contacted the goal and Google, who had not given an answer until the publication of this text. The space is still open.
CyberNews, which publishes its findings on a website, also said that the data was exposed only for a short time and that it was therefore not possible to identify who or which hacker group would be behind the leakage.
Hacker weapons for data leakage
The information may have been probably obtained from phishing actions, which are links that deceive the user to access this information, malware installations, a kind of mobile and computers data theft program, and ransomware invasions, which acts as an information kidnerer.
To prevent such data leaks – which has not yet been confirmed by Big Techs – experts recommend the exchange of accounts of accounts linked to the allegedly reached applications, always opting for unique combinations that are not used by the user on other platforms. In addition, it is recommended to use two -step authentication whenever possible.
Another tip is to keep operating systems up to date, whether in smartphones (iOS and Android) or even in personal notebooks and computers. These updates usually come with safety packs, which can help to avoid more problems.
With the advance of technologies From digital tracking, protecting personal data on the internet has become a more complex task. Although privacy tools are increasingly accessible, many users do not yet know how to identify abusive practices or how to configure their devices to limit information collection.
The online environment is full of practices that aim to collect, store and share personal data for commercial purposes, often without the actual consent of the user. Given this scenario, understanding how the main tracking mechanisms work and know the tools available to defend itself has become essential.
Privacy
The first step for the user to know if their data is being collected by applications is to read the terms of use and privacy policies. “The user can find which data is collected and which is shared with third parties,” says Guilherme Tafelli, Head of Gate 3 Products (P3), Fintech specializing in corporate payment management.
For Jaime Taboada, CEO of Divibank, the challenge is bigger this year. “Many permissions are requested opaque and often accepted without reflection,” he warns.
He recommends manually check, in Android or iOS settings, which apps have access to camera, microphone, location and contacts. “An essential point is to assess whether these permissions make sense regarding the application function. For example, if a casual game requests access to your camera or microphone, this can be a strong indicative of improper data collection,” he explains.
Tools like Exodus Privacy and Appcensus help identify advertising trackers and SDKs (kits used by developers to add functions to apps such as login or ads). The CEO also suggests monitoring network traffic with apps such as Glasswire and being aware of abnormal consumption of data and battery, possible signs of background collection.
By seeking more privacy during navigation, according to experts, the choice of browser is decisive. “Brave, Browser and Firefox,” according to Tafelli of P3, are the best options for those who want to reduce online screening.
Taboada has the same opinion. “With the growth of online screening in 2025, privacy -focused browsers have become essential tools,” he says.
Source: Moneytimes
I am an author and journalist with a focus on market news. I have worked for a global news website for the past two years, writing articles on a range of topics relating to the stock market. My work has been published in international publications and I have delivered talks at both academic institutions and business conferences around the world.
